Spandex supplies Canon Colorado UVgel printer: Only doing nothing is more sustainable

For print service providers, sign production is a logical addition to the offering. We talked to Daniël van Hasselt, General Manager of the Spandex branch in Veenendaal, we talked about a sustainable and efficient solution. ‘The Canon Colorado in combination with our ImagePerfect Evergreen media offers the ideal sustainable solution for many applications.’

Sign supplier Spandex is a global player with 22 companies, including its own media production, active in 22 countries and with 2.000+ employees. Daniël van Hasselt’s team advises and supplies sign equipment, media, inks and other accessories from Veenendaal to companies in the Benelux.

Started in the warehouse

A tour of the showroom – where, by the way, you can also take various Sign courses led by Appcademy – shows that this sign specialist’s products include the Canon Colorado UVgel printer, HP latex printer and the Mutoh ecosolvent printers. We are then given a glimpse into the huge warehouse. There, some 15 employees are working daily until 8 p.m. to process orders for media and other material orders, think of brands such as 3M, Avery Dennisson, ImagePerfect, Orafol and Arlon.

All these orders must be delivered to the client the next day. Rigid sheet media is delivered from the Barneveld branch. Van Hasselt, who became responsible for these branches as General Manager 2 years ago, sees himself back in the warehouse for a while. “This is where I started, in the warehouse. After many years at Spandex, a number of years in the sign market at other companies followed. In 2016, he returned to the old nest, which recently resulted in his current general management position.

Signal via app

Our offering is very interesting to graphics companies. You see that those companies want to support their customers with every need and also offer sign. Think of printing the “regular” posters. But so much more is possible, such as labels, framed canvas, floor graphics, car and architectural wrapping [think also of the booming business of kitchen wrapping, ed.], print on material for backlit light boxes, wallpaper and banners.

All those products can be manufactured at high speed on the Canon Colorado UVgel printer with consistent output. In addition, this machine offers all kinds of conveniences such as online media changing, and the remote control app allows employees to be busy doing useful things instead of constantly checking to see if things are going well. This cost-efficient machine is operationally reliable and if there is anything, you get a signal via the app.’

Sustainability

The question of sustainable production on sustainable materials comes up in almost every conversation. ‘For that too, the Canon Colorado UVgel printer is the perfect solution. Especially when you combine it with the media from our own factory Eikon, ImagePerfect Evergreen.’ The sustainability in the Colorado is in the UVgel technology. ‘That ensures that you can get by with 40% less ink compared to other techniques. And the LED UV curing is a low-temperature process that uses less energy.’

Canon Colorado printer

In addition to brands such as HP, Mutoh, Summa, BubbleFree and Neolt, Spandex also carries the Canon Colorado. Some specifics of this roll printer:

– UVgel technology
– After printing (and simultaneously UV-led curing) immediately ready for post-processing
– FLXfinish+ technique can create gloss and matte image at the same time (spot varnish effect)
– Many media types, including thin and heat-sensitive
– Roll width up to 1625 mm, media thickness up to 0.8 mm
– CMYK with a large color spectrum, thanks to UVgel technology
– White ink also applicable since April 2023 in the Colorado M-series
– Up to 1800 dpi
– Speed up to 159 m2 per hour
– Certificate for environmentally friendly use

Van Hasselt also talks about deployment across the Spandex organization such as at Eikon. ‘At our Eikon plant in Lancaster, we make ImagePerfect EverGreen, currently the most sustainable product in terms of print media and cutting films available in the market.’

Everything under the microscope

Can it be even more sustainable? ‘Yes, because it goes beyond the well-known PVC-free films. We have a comprehensive Spandex approach focused on footprint reduction and optimizing sustainability.’ Daniel cites some examples: ‘All the material needed comes from Europe, in packaging the cardboard is not bleached, the printing is water-based ink, and the plastic in the box is biodegradable.’ Thus, the company goes through such a process meticulously, engaging local efforts. Moreover, we transport via DHL, which operates according to the GoGreen concept.’ It seems, only doing nothing is more sustainable.

The FLXfinish+ technique in the Canon Colorado can creates a gloss and matte image simultaneously (spot varnish effect) if desired. Varnish or other extras are not required for this. One touch of a button is all it takes.

Finishing effect

Besides efficiency and durability, there is another interesting aspect. The Colorado UVgel printer has – if you look at the machine from above – 2 moving ‘carriages’: one applies ink and the other cures. And the cooperation between those 2 ‘carriages’ has a very special application. If you want to provide print with a special effect, the spot varnish effect, you get that with 1 push of a button. Of course you have to create a special layer in the image, but that’s it. No varnish or other extras are needed for this. Proper positioning and editing by the curing light creates that effect. An ingenious option that provides extra margins because of that ultimate simplicity in operation.

About Spandex

Spandex from Veenendaal delivers in the Benelux. Did you know that this branch is part of the global Spandex Group? Just some facts and figures:

– Originating as a sign equipment supplier more than 40 years back in the UK
– Took over 20 companies in all those years
– Also started own production in 1996: ImagePerfect digital print media and signmaking accessories
– Operates in 22 countries, from Australia, Europe to North America
– 40 logistics centres
– 8.000+ parcels per day
– 2.000+ employees

This article was published before by Robbert Delfos (text) and Pim Ras (photos) for printmatters.nl.